Friday, June 06, 2008

SYPHON






SYPHON


Long-ago, through
night and day
linked to now,
film-frame by frame:

a car door slams,
an engine runs,
sometimes there are voices,
sometimes none,

the long rumbling
of a train,
the almost-no-noise
of a drawer opening.

Silence like water-drops
suspended through walls
or ceilings, a click,
a throat cleared.

Summer is staying awake,
nightly responding;
Summer is opening
the lens of your eyes.

Second by second,
where rail-yards meet
the estates and part-buys,
the city’s pulse fades fast:

light is beginning
all over again
in a kiss, an embrace
that never stops.


7 comments:

Lucy said...

There's something exciting about this, a sense of anticipation...

I ilke the photo too, where is that?

Lucas said...

Many thanks for your comment. The photo is of a sculpture at the New St Pancras Station. I think it has a timless iconic quality. The sculpture was the main inspiration for the poem, which aims to capture the way night unfolds in the moods and sounds of a neighbourhood somewhere in the vicinity of London's new version of St. Pancras Station.

Unknown said...

I can't help feeling that the poem is much better than the sculpture. The poem beautifully evokes summer in the big city. The second stanza has it perfectly.

Dave King said...

I agree with Lucy. reading the poem, I was drawn into it, but couldn't put my finger on why until I read her comment.
It stands rereading and deepens as a result. Excellent.

tristan said...

i've seen the sculpture and i prefer the poem ... so hooray and thanx !

Lucas said...

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them.

Dave King said...

Second thoughts: it reminds me of a film script.